Health
After Vegas Massacre, Fury Over Gay, Bi Blood Ban
A rule based in ignorance continues to stymie donations from gay and bisexual men.
October 03 2017 2:24 PM EST
May 26 2023 2:07 PM EST
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A rule based in ignorance continues to stymie donations from gay and bisexual men.
Following Sunday night's massacre in Las Vegas, many gay and bisexual men have been encouraged to donate blood to help the 500 people injured. Many have been turned away. Food and Drug Administration guidelines still prohibit gay and bisexual men from donating blood unless they have been sexually inactive for a year -- a rule that does not apply to heterosexual people.
Several are calling out for an immediate end to the blood ban, from Lance Bass to the mayor of Hell, Mich.
\u201crly wish i could donate my gay blood\u201d— elijah daniel (@elijah daniel) 1506982450
\u201c@LanceBass I think it's a dated and archaic rule. It's not any riskier than heterosexual behaviors. Especially now, blood is needed!! \ud83c\udd70\ufe0f\ud83c\udd71\ufe0f\ud83c\udd8e\ud83c\udd7e\ufe0f\u201d— Melissa Crouch (@Melissa Crouch) 1506990003
\u201cjust ur daily reminder that gay men still can't donate blood until a year after sexual contact with another man (it's called homophobia)\u201d— julia (@julia) 1506998900
\u201c@MagnusPandus @ColinHumphreys That is not true. It is a fact that HIV is more easily transmitted through anal sex, but straight couples ALSO partake in anal sex (1/?)\u201d— \ud83d\udc51 Royal Jules \ud83d\udc36 (@\ud83d\udc51 Royal Jules \ud83d\udc36) 1507047485
\u201c@MagnusPandus @ColinHumphreys A straight man can have unprotected sex with 5 different women in a week, and can still donate blood If a gay man has oral sex once in (3/?)\u201d— \ud83d\udc51 Royal Jules \ud83d\udc36 (@\ud83d\udc51 Royal Jules \ud83d\udc36) 1507047485
\u201c@MagnusPandus @ColinHumphreys It was implemented during the american AIDS crisis decades ago, since then awareness has increased and the LGBT community has seen (5/?)\u201d— \ud83d\udc51 Royal Jules \ud83d\udc36 (@\ud83d\udc51 Royal Jules \ud83d\udc36) 1507047485
\u201c@MagnusPandus @ColinHumphreys And something needs to be changed. (7/7)\u201d— \ud83d\udc51 Royal Jules \ud83d\udc36 (@\ud83d\udc51 Royal Jules \ud83d\udc36) 1507047485